" 'What's in those' (remembering The Merchant of Venice) 'those caskets?' the Savage enquired when Bernard had rejoined him.
'The day's soma ration,' Bernard answered rather indistinctly" (164).
This above passage is basically foreshadowing every one's death as a result of this soma stuff. I am not exactly sure what it is, but I think its effects are comparable to those of drugs and alcohol without all of the bad stuff that usually follows drug and alcohol consumption. Anyways, Bernard is able to be oblivious or ignorant of the irony right in front of him. This irony is further confirmed earlier in the chapter when Dr. Shaw says that the soma will "finish off" Linda in a month or two. Apparently this soma that is used pretty much daily by nearly everyone to cope with the days afflictions is not as safe as I originally thought. Apparently this soma is so powerful that it must be rationed out and if taken in excessive amounts can leave someone in a vegetative state until they eventually die. The purpose of the foreshadowing is to discreetly warn the readers of what is to come. The foreshadowing also starts to explain the risks of the soma that up until this point has seemed like just a way to forget and avoid all of the troubles. The foreshadowing technique used here is effective because it foreshadows the people's fate through an ironic situation rather than a straight prophesy.
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